The use of accessories to enhance and to personalize a vehicle is a popular past-time. The after-market vehicle accessory business includes a myriad of items that can be added to a vehicle, or items that are replaced with more functional and/or personalized items. The instant invention is designed to replace an existing or to add a new vehicle trailer hitch-ball structure that is embellished with at least one Light Emitting Diode (LED). The at least one LED can be illuminated by a manually operated switch or be operated automatically when the vehicle brake pedal is depressed. In lieu of an LED, the inventive structure can be designed with a passive mast that has a flag, a pennant, a banner or a placard attached thereto.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention. However, the following U.S. patents are considered related:
PATENT NO.INVENTORISSUEDD501,434Peng1 Feb. 20056,637,718Wilson28 Oct. 2003D438,828Thomas13 Mar. 2001
The D501,434 patent discloses a design for an embellished vehicle trailer hitch-ball assembly. The embellishment consists of a plurality of horizontally or vertically oriented LEDs that are located on an upper ball receptor of the assembly. The inventor of this design patent is also the inventor of the instant application.
The U.S. Pat. No. 6,637,718 patent discloses a flagstaff holder that is removably attached to a vehicle by use of a standard trailer hitch coupling. The flagstaff holder is mounted at the distal end of an adjustable length vertical support, which may raised to provide flag visibility or lowered to a stowed position. Illumination means for the flag or banner is provided and a hitch ball may also be provided so that the standard trailer hitch coupling can be used without removal of the flag or the flagstaff holder.
The D438,828 patent discloses a design for a mounting stem that is attached to a vehicle rear frame member. To the upper end of the mounting stem is attached an upper trailer hitch-ball.